Confiding in Strangers
by lauren diane
Summary: Alison Barrington meets Elizabeth Webber.


Alison Barrington was running through Port Charles. She did this often to escape from her life, and today she really needed it.  
  
Yesterday was probably the worst day of her life. Okay, not probably. It was the worst day of her life. She finally believed that Rafe Kovich was lost to her forever. She knew he was married to Livvie, and that he was expecting a child with her, but she held on to the hope that he would find his way back to her. Yesterday he made it clear that it was not going to happen.  
  
It was in the park after the Avatar had attacked Livvie. He was comforting her and the way he was talking to Alison.it's like they were strangers. How could he do that to her? Jack said he was sending her a message that there was no way they would ever be together again, and she believed it now.  
  
But how could she except this? She loved Rafe so much, and she knew he loved her too. He just couldn't remember.  
  
Alison slowed to a walk as she approached Kelly's Diner. She hadn't been in there in forever. She decided she would stop in and get a cup of coffee, for old time's sake.  
  
She walked to the back of the store and sat at the counter. Before she was comfortable the waitress walked up to her. "Hi, what can I get for you?"  
  
"Um.just a cup of coffee for now." Alison responded. The girl looked about her age. She was short, thin, and her hair was light brown and medium length. Her smile was sweet.  
  
"Do you want a menu?" The girl asked.  
  
"Sure." Why not check it out. She might find something good for breakfast.  
  
The waitress gave her the menu and went to make her coffee. Alison opened up the menu and searched for something she would like to try.  
  
The bell on the front door rang. Alison turned around to see a guy walk in. He was tall and built. His hair was spiked up on top. He walked to the front counter and sat down a couple of seats down from Alison. The young waitress stopped preparing Alison's coffee and walked over to the man.  
  
"Hey Jason." She said with a smile. Alison remembered that look. It's the one she always had when she saw Rafe. The girl was in love.  
  
"I'm sorry. I didn't know you were working. I just need a cup of coffee to go."  
  
"Jason, why are you acting like this?" The waitress' smile vanished. Also familiar.  
  
"Elizabeth, you know we can't be together. I think it's best if we don't see each other." He gets up to leave. "I'm sorry for bothering you." He starts to leave.  
  
"What about your coffee?"  
  
"Don't worry about it." Jason leaves.  
  
Elizabeth watched him exit, then went back to Alison's coffee. She placed it infront of her. "Did you decide on anything else?" Her smile was gone.  
  
"Um.yeah. Can I just get a cinnamon role?" Alison said cautiously, not wanting to upset the waitress, who looked on the verge of tears.  
  
"Comin' right up." Elizabeth started to move away.  
  
Alison couldn't resist. "Um.Elizabeth?"  
  
She turned around. "Yeah?" She didn't seem curious as to how she knew her name.  
  
"I don't mean to over step my boundaries, but I was just wondering if you were okay?"  
  
"Yeah. Why?" She seemed confused.  
  
"Well, I just saw you with that guy, Jason, and he seemed to upset you." Alison kind of regretted saying anything. It wasn't her place, but she was concerned.  
  
"Well that's Jason for you. But I'm fine. I'm used to it."  
  
"Okay. But in case you want to talk, I'm here. I know what it's like."  
  
"Thank you." Elizabeth went back to work.  
  
~*~  
  
As Alison finished the last bite of her cinnamon role, Elizabeth approached her. "Was it good?"  
  
Alison smiled. "It was excellent. Thank you."  
  
"So you're going through something like me? I mean with Jason."  
  
Alison thought of Rafe. "Yeah, I think so. I'm in love with this guy, and he is.unavailable."  
  
"Yeah, Jason's life is kind of dangerous. He wants me to stay away from him because he wants me to be safe. So he pushes me away." Elizabeth looked relieved to talk about it.  
  
"Rafe is married to my old best friend."  
  
"Wow, that's a little different than my problem."  
  
"Yeah. See Rafe, we were together a while ago. We were so in love. Like, you couldn't separate us. But we both knew it wouldn't last because he had to leave. He had this whole other destiny. He came back about a month or so ago and he couldn't remember anything. My old best friend, Livvie, she found him and convinced him that they were in love. Now she's pregnant. So he has to stay with her because that's how he is." It felt good to get it off of her chest.  
  
"Wow, that's horrible. Did you tell him all about your past?"  
  
"Most of it. Some of it I want him to remember on his own." Like the fact that he's an angel. He wouldn't know how to deal with that. It's something he needs to remember on his own.  
  
"And he just doesn't believe you?" Elizabeth couldn't believe this guy.  
  
"He does, but now that Livvie's pregnant, he feels obligated to stay with her. He's such a good person with a good heart. That's why I fell in love with him."  
  
"But it's not fair for you. Livvie gets to be happy because she has manipulated the situation to her liking, but you get the shitty end of the deal because you're a good person? It's not fair. Why did she go after Rafe in the first place?"  
  
"Because she hated me because she thought that I killed her father, but he's not dead. He was missing and I was the last one to see him. She thought I was a witch because I sold candles that helped people."  
  
"Wait, you're Alison Barrington. I remember reading about you in the paper. That was when Kevin Collins was missing."  
  
"Yeah. I've sort of become popular, haven't I?" She kind of forgot that stuff like that was all over the papers.  
  
Elizabeth laughed. "Yeah."  
  
The doorbell rang again. Alison turned around to see a tall blonde with a nasty scowl on her face walk though the door. She hurried to the front counter. "Hey waitress? I need three cups of coffee to go."  
  
Elizabeth whispered to Alison. "Hold on. It's Satan." She walked over to the loud woman. "Carly, how nice to see you?"  
  
"Save it Liz. Just get my coffee. Jason and Sonny are waiting for me back at the Penthouse." Elizabeth's face turned from sarcastic to hurt. "Yeah, he said he was here earlier. He didn't want to see you so he sent me."  
  
"Whatever Carly." Elizabeth started on the order.  
  
"Oh, I hurt her feelings." Carly turned to Alison. "Don't tell me you're friends with her?"  
  
"Actually we just met." Alison said, shyly.  
  
"Well, don't stay too long. She'll draw you into her 'look at me, I'm sweet and innocent, and I stalk guys who don't want me' world."  
  
"You don't know what you're talking about, Carly." Elizabeth gave her a bag. "That'll be three twelve."  
  
"Yeah, right. Put it on my tab. Or better yet, give it to me for free because this is my mother's diner."  
  
"Whatever. Just take it." Elizabeth gave in.  
  
"Okay, now I'm only going to tell you this one time, okay?" Carly said matter of factly.  
  
"I don't want your advice, Carly."  
  
"Well, you're going to get it anyway. If you want Jason, fight for him. Let him know that you aren't going anywhere. When he knows he can't stop you from coming around, he'll give up this 'keep Liz safe' routine, okay?"  
  
"I said I didn't want your advice." Elizabeth just glared at Carly.  
  
"Fine, I'm only doing this for Jason because I want him happy. And for some unknown reason, you make him happy." Then she left without another word. Elizabeth walked back over to Alison.  
  
"Sorry about that. She's just a bitch."  
  
"Who was she?"  
  
Elizabeth smiled. "That would be Carly Corinthos. Jason's best friend."  
  
"Wait, isn't she married to Sonny Corinthos, the mobster?" Alison couldn't believe anyone would be stupid enough to marry someone that dangerous.  
  
"Yeah. She is a pain in the ass."  
  
"But what she said, about fighting for what you want. That's good advice." Alison knew it would be hard, but she had to get Rafe back. She couldn't live without him.  
  
"You think?" Elizabeth didn't like the idea of doing anything that Carly suggested.  
  
"Yeah, if you truly want to be with someone, you can't just give up because the circumstances stink. You have to fight because that's the only way you'll truly be happy. I can't believe I was going to give up so soon."  
  
"Okay, so how about we make a pact to do whatever it takes to get the men we love?" Elizabeth put out her hand for Alison, who shook it.  
  
"Deal."  
  
Alison left Kelly's Diner feeling great. She didn't know what she was going to do, but she knew that she had to do something to get Rafe back. And that's all there was to it.  
  
~*~  
  
When Liz's shift was over, she decided to take a walk. She thought about what her and Alison had discussed. What could she do to get Jason to see that they were meant to be together?  
  
"Elizabeth?" Before she turned around, she knew who it was.  
  
"Hi Jason." God he was gorgeous.  
  
"What are you doing here? You know it's dangerous on the docks at night." The worry was written all over his face.  
  
"I just got off of work. I'm taking the long way home." She decided to tell the truth. "Plus, I was hoping to see you."  
  
"You know you're not safe around me."  
  
"God, Jason."  
  
He cut her off. "Elizabeth, I mean it. I want you to stay away from me. You're not safe."  
  
She cut him off. "Jason, I'm not safe anywhere. You're enemies know we're connected. Even if we stay away from each other they know. So it doesn't matter if we're together or apart, I'm still in danger. But atleast when we're together, you can protect me."  
  
"Elizabeth." He stopped. He didn't know what to say. She was right.  
  
"See, you can't argue." She walked over to him, cupped his face with her hands, and pulled his lips to hers. Jason tried to fight it at first, but realized it was pointless. Elizabeth was right, and he knew that. His body wouldn't except anymore objections. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close.  
  
A while later when their lips parted, Jason asked Elizabeth to do something they'd been postponing since he came back to town. "How about a ride on my motorcycle?"  
  
Elizabeth smiled. "I thought you'd never ask."  
  
~*~  
  
The next morning, Alison walked home through the park. She had spent the night in New York with Kate. She'd decided to move back there for some reason unknown by Alison. Of course as soon as they got there, Kate had changed her mind and they both returned to Port Charles this morning.  
  
"Ali?"  
  
Alison turned around to see Jack running to her. "Hey Ramsey, what are you doin' up so early?"  
  
"Looking for you actually. Where have you been? I've been trying to reach you." He looked upset.  
  
"Why? What's going on?" She couldn't help but feel scared. "Is somebody hurt?"  
  
"Well, no, nothing physical. You need to get to your house though."  
  
"Why? Jack, tell me what's going on."  
  
"It's Rafe. He's at your house. He called me yesterday to tell me to stay with Livvie."  
  
"Why? Jack, what happened?" Why would Rafe want Jack to be with Livvie?  
  
"Just go home and talk to him, okay? I'll see you later." He kissed her check and ran off in the opposite direction of her house.  
  
"Well that's just great." With that she started running to her home. When she got there, Rafe was sitting on the front porch. "Rafe?"  
  
"Alison. Where have you been? Are you all right?" He looked so worried. He ran to her and began to run his hands through her hair. She loved it when he did that.  
  
"I'm fine. I went to New York with Kate. What's going on. Jack said you needed to talk to me. What happened?"  
  
"Um.can we go inside?" He backed away from her, towards the door.  
  
"Sure." She unlocked the door and they filed in. She sat on the couch and he sat beside her. "So what's going on?"  
  
"Um.well, yesterday, Ian and I, we defeated the avatar."  
  
"Oh my gosh, Rafe, that's great, but I don't see what that has to do with me."  
  
"There's more. Also yesterday, I talked to Lucy."  
  
"Lucy? What about?" She was sure it was another ploy to get Rafe and her back together.  
  
"She told me I was dead."  
  
"What?"  
  
Rafe rubbed his temples with his pointer fingers. "She told me I was an angel and that I came back to earth to find you."  
  
Alison couldn't believe Lucy told him that. She knew he wouldn't be able to deal with it. And look at him. He's so confused. "It doesn't sound like you believe her."  
  
"I didn't. I yelled at her and told her Livvie was right."  
  
There's something not politically correct. "About what?"  
  
"About all of you, trying to break us up. She said you'd do anything to keep us apart because you're all jealous."  
  
"And you believe her?" What else could he believe, Alison asked herself. She is his wife.  
  
"I don't think I ever really did. It was just easier than facing the truth, that she was the one lieing. But now I know it. I can't deny it anymore."  
  
"Why? What happened?" Alison ran her hand along his face.  
  
"Before I defeated the Avatar, who was Frank Scanlon, by the way."  
  
"Frank? I work for his mother. Is he all right? I mean, to defeat the Avatar, you didn't have to hurt him did you?"  
  
"No, he's fine. Well, he's not fine. He's in the hospital. He went through a lot, but he'll be all right. This isn't the point, though."  
  
"Sorry." She didn't want to be rude, but she really hoped he would get to the point today.  
  
"He told me that I wasn't the father of Livvie's baby, he was."  
  
"What?" It makes sense now. When Livvie was yelling at it to stay away and that the baby wasn't his. Alison understood now.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Are you sure, though. He might have been trying to hurt you. Are you sure he was telling the truth?"  
  
"I went to Livvie. She told me he was lieing until I threatened her with a paternity test. Then she came clean. She told me everything. Remember when we found her in the park, the day after we were in the attic together?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"That's when it was." He was on the verge of tears.  
  
"Oh my god, Rafe, I'm so sorry." She wanted to comfort him, but she didn't know if he wanted it.  
  
"She lied to me about everything. She told me the truth, that her and me were never together before I left Port Charles. She told me that she only did it to get back at you when she thought you'd killed her father." He lowered his head into his hands and ran them through his hair, like he always did when he felt defeated.  
  
"Rafe, I'm so sorry." She didn't know what to do for him.  
  
"No, that's not why I'm here. I'm here to apologize to you."  
  
"What? What for? You didn't do anything?"  
  
"Alison, I kept us apart. I knew you were who I wanted, but I stayed with Livvie. I always knew in the back of my head that she was lieing to me, but I ignored it. It was just easier. I'm so sorry for everything that I put you through." His hands were in her hair and on her face. She missed the feel of his hands.  
  
"So where do we go from here?"  
  
"All I know is that I love you Alison. I don't want to be away from you ever again. Please forgive me."  
  
"There's nothing to forgive." With that she kissed him. It felt like forever since their last.  
  
A moment later Rafe broke from her lips. "Alison." he whispered.  
  
"Rafe, what is it?"  
  
"I remember. I remember everything."  
  
"You mean, from before you came back?" Was it really happening?  
  
"Yes, I remember it all. I remember you and how much in love we were. Alison, I remember." He kissed her again, and they both knew that their happily ever after was finally here. 


End file.
